According to a Palestinian source, the Palestinian security forces have taken special action over the past two weeks to prevent youths from approaching Joseph's Tomb in Nablus and disturbing order in its vicinity.
Documentation from Nablus: Burning and throwing military engineering tools (archive) // Arab networks
There were at least two cases in which forces deployed on roads leading to the area of the tomb compound to enforce order and prevent riots. For example, on Friday night, after the IDF Spokesperson's announcement of the expansion of ground operations in the Gaza Strip, groups of young Palestinians marched in the eastern part of Nablus and began marching towards Joseph's Tomb.
Abbas doesn't want problems
The Palestinian security forces went to the area of the procession and repelled the demonstrators. They used crowd control measures, including stun grenades and teargas, and prevented the marchers, some of whom had already begun disturbing the peace, from continuing the procession advancing toward Joseph's Tomb, considered a particularly sensitive friction point.
A Palestinian source confirmed to Israel Hayom that PA security forces had indeed operated in this area recently. "Abu Mazen does not want problems and there is an awareness that the law must be enforced in areas where Hamas may gain support. In addition, he wants to prevent a situation in which Israel takes advantage of this against him and says that he has no control over what happens in the territories where he can order the mechanisms to act," he said.
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, photo: AP
At the same time, there were those who suggested in this context that "it also has something to do with the way in which damage to a Jewish heritage site can serve elements within the extreme right-wing government in Israel, who will use this as an additional justification to act against the PA chairman."
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has so far not condemned the barbaric massacre and crimes against humanity committed by Hamas against Israeli civilians in the October 7 terrorist attacks, making do with statements that he rejects the killing of civilians on both sides.
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